Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-15 of U.S. Application 19/038,640 filed on January 27, 2025 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/27/2025 and 12/18/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claims 1-4 and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being unpatentable over Swanton et al (US Pat No. 9207285).
PNG
media_image1.png
595
501
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Prior Art: Swanton
Regarding claim 1, Swanton discloses a battery testing method (using 100), comprising: receiving battery data (receiving it to computing device 130) of a battery to be tested (112) by means of wireless communication (col 5 lines 25-40 discloses sending the data from 120 to 130 using wireless communication); and testing the battery data (using 120) according to a test baseline (reference) corresponding to the battery to be tested to obtain a test result (col 8 lines 34-55 discloses comparing battery values to referenced baselines in order to determine condition of the baseline).
Regarding claim 2, Swanton discloses wherein the battery data comprises at least two items to be tested, and the test baseline comprises a specification interval corresponding to each item to be tested; and said testing the battery data according to a test baseline corresponding to the battery to be tested to obtain a test result comprises: comparing each item to be tested with the corresponding specification interval in the test baseline to determine a test result for each item to be tested (abstract discloses information including temperature, age, etc. and used to comparing values to a baseline).
Regarding claim 3, Swanton discloses wherein the battery data comprises at least one of a maximum voltage of the battery to be tested, a minimum voltage of the battery to be tested, a battery cell voltage difference in the battery to be tested, a maximum temperature of the battery to be tested, a minimum temperature of the battery to be tested, a battery cell temperature difference in the battery to be tested, water inlet and outlet temperatures of the battery to be tested, and a charging port temperature of the battery to be tested (col 3 lines 11-18 discloses differential in temperatures between the battery terminals).
Regarding claim 4, Swanton discloses wherein the method further comprises: sending the test result to a communication device, wherein the communication device is a device for transmitting the battery data of the battery to be tested (using 120-130, and 140 to send and receive data; col 5 lines 25-40 discloses communication device).
Regarding claim 11, Swanton discloses a battery testing apparatus (100), comprising: a first receiving module (using 130) for receiving battery data of a battery to be tested (112) by means of wireless communication (col 5 lines 25-40 discloses sending the data from 120 to 130 using wireless communication); and a testing module (120) for testing the battery data according to a test baseline (reference) corresponding to the battery to be tested to obtain a test result (col 8 lines 34-55 discloses comparing battery values to referenced baselines in order to determine condition of the baseline).
Regarding claim 12, Swanton discloses an electronic device (130), comprising: a processor (330) and a memory (310) storing computer-readable instructions that are executable by the processor, wherein when the electronic device is run, the computer-readable instructions are executed by the processor (col 7 lines 10-21 discloses executing by the processor and memory to execute based on need).
Regarding claim 13, Swanton discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, wherein the computer program, when run by a processor, executes the steps of the method (col 7 lines 10-21 discloses executing by processor and memory).
Regarding claim 14, Swanton discloses a testing system, comprising an electronic device and a testing device, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute the steps; and the testing device is used for wired connection with the battery to be tested or a vehicle in which the battery to be tested is mounted, so as to perform an endurance test on the battery to be tested (col 7 lines 10-21 discloses executing by processor and memory and abstract discloses to test battery such as age and temperature).
Regarding claim 15, Swanton discloses wherein the testing device is further used for wired connection with the battery to be tested or the vehicle in which the battery to be tested is mounted after obtaining the test result of the battery to be tested from the electronic device, so as to perform the endurance test on the battery to be tested (shown as fig 1 as being connected to the batteries).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claims 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swanton et al (US Pat No. 9207285) in view of Hsiao et al (USPGPub 20170285113).
Regarding claim 5, Swanton does not fully disclose wherein before said receiving battery data of a battery to be tested by means of wireless communication, the method further comprises: receiving a connection request of a communication device, wherein the communication device is used for transmitting the battery data of the battery to be tested; and establishing a testing thread for the battery to be tested after receiving the connection request, wherein the testing thread is used for testing the battery to be tested.
However, Hsiao discloses wherein before said receiving battery data of a battery to be tested by means of wireless communication, the method further comprises: receiving a connection request of a communication device, wherein the communication device is used for transmitting the battery data of the battery to be tested; and establishing a testing thread for the battery to be tested after receiving the connection request, wherein the testing thread is used for testing the battery to be tested (pars 55 and 58 discloses wireless apparatus using connection request to connect to the other element).It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Swanton in view of Hsiao because it is known to establish a connection to properly send and receive data.
Regarding claim 6, Swanton wherein said establishing a testing thread for the battery to be tested comprises: if the communication device is used for sending battery data of multiple groups of batteries to be tested, establishing one testing thread separately for each group of batteries to be tested in the multiple groups of batteries to be tested; or establishing one testing thread for the multiple groups of batteries to be tested (claims 11, 12 , and col 5 lines 25-40 discloses sequentially testing a group of batteries. Therefore, multiple groups are tested).
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swanton et al (US Pat No. 9207285) in view of Elder et al (US Pat No. 8013611).
Regarding claim 7, Swanton does not fully disclose wherein the method further comprises: acquiring product information for the battery to be tested; and determining, according to the product information, the test baseline for testing the battery to be tested.
However, Elder discloses wherein the method further comprises: acquiring product information for the battery to be tested; and determining, according to the product information, the test baseline for testing the battery to be tested (claim 2 discloses acquiring product data). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Swanton in view of Elder in order to determine the data and implement the stored parameters.
Regarding claim 8, Swanton does not fully disclose wherein said acquiring product information for the battery to be tested comprises: receiving the product information for the battery to be tested by means of wireless communication.
However, Elder discloses wherein said acquiring product information for the battery to be tested comprises: receiving the product information for the battery to be tested by means of wireless communication (col 7 lines 26-38 discloses wireless communication based on need). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Swanton in view of Elder in order to determine the data and implement the stored parameters.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination fail to teach or suggest wherein the method is applied to an electronic device on which a testing program and a monitoring program are run, the testing program being used for testing the battery to be tested; and the method further comprises: sending a heartbeat packet to the monitoring program through the testing program; and controlling, through the monitoring program, the testing program to restart if the monitoring program fails to receive the heartbeat packet sent by the testing program for a set length of time in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Claim 10 is also objected to as it depends on objected claim 9.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Schueler et al (USPGPub 20180286213): discloses sending heartbeat messages.
Mensah-Brown et al (USPat No 9970993): discloses measuring temperature of the battery using a baseline.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOMINIC E HAWKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2647. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DOMINIC E HAWKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights